WE’RE UPGRADING OUR CUSTOMER INFORMATION SYSTEM

We’re currently upgrading our customer information system. During this time, some of our self-service features may be unavailable or have limited functionality. Here’s some information regarding services that are affected.

Mobile App

Our mobile app will still be available to report outages and view outage maps; however, there may be a few hours throughout this period during which these features will become unavailable. During that time, please call customer service at 202-833-7500 if you need to report an outage.

Additionally, you’ll still be able to pay your bill through the mobile app. Please note, your account balance may not be updated in the app until our full transition is complete on or around January 5, 2015.

My Account

My Account will have limited functionality during our transition and your most recent energy use information will not be available.

You’ll still have access to the following self-service features on My Account:

• View past energy use information
• View and pay your bill
• Reset your password

Customers who are not currently signed up for My Account will be unable to do so until after our transition is completed.

Customer Service Call-In

Some self-service features normally available through our customer service number are also unavailable. You can still call us to report an emergency situation or outage, and to make a payment. Additionally, customer service representatives will be available to assist you stop, start or transfer service, investigate billing issues and discuss third party supplier information. To speak with a representative about your account, please call during normal business hours, Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.

We appreciate your patience during this transition. For more information about this upgrade, visit pepco.com/accountfaq.

Ten Ways to Keep Your Home Cool and Save Energy

More than half of home energy use goes to space cooling and heating. Here are a few tips to maximize your home’s cooling system while saving money and energy.

1. Install a whole-house ventilating fan in your attic or in an upstairs window to help air circulate in your home. Although not a replacement for a central air conditioning system, a fan is an effective way to stay comfortable on milder days. Remember to cover and insulate it during the winter to prevent heat loss.
2. Don’t set your thermostat at a colder setting than normal when you turn your air conditioner on. It will not cool faster, but it will cool to a lower temperature than you need and use more energy.
3. Consider using a ceiling fan with your window air conditioner to spread the cooled air to other rooms. But be sure the air conditioner is large enough to help cool the additional space.
4. Keep lamps or television sets away from the thermostat. Heat from these appliances is sensed by the thermostat and could cause your system to run longer than necessary.
5. Keep lights low or off when not needed. Electric lights generate heat and add to the load on your air conditioner.
6. Plant shade trees strategically around your home. Properly selected and planted shade trees can save up to $80 annually on the average electric bill.
7. Use window or whole house ventilating fans to cool your home.
8. Use vents and exhaust fans to pull heat and moisture from the attic, kitchen, bath and laundry directly to the outside, if you don’t have air conditioning.
9. Enroll in Energy Wise Rewards to take more control over your energy usage and save money on energy costs.

You can also read our “Helpful Ways to Save” brochure for more tips on saving money and energy.

Learn About Our Emergency Medical Equipment Notification Program

At Pepco, we recognize that some of our customers rely on life-support equipment that requires electricity to operate.  We encourage these customers to sign up for our Emergency Medical Equipment Notification Program (EMENP). The program provides advance notice of scheduled outages and severe weather alerts to customers who depend on electricity for emergency medical and life-support equipment.

What We Provide To Qualified Participants

• An annual information package to help customers with life-support equipment prepare for emergencies in their homes
• Advance Notification of scheduled outages for maintenance or construction work that might affect their electric service
• Advance Notification of severe storms such as hurricane warnings that could lead to extended outages on our electric system

Please note that since customers who rely on electricity to power life-support equipment are located throughout our service area, it is not possible to provide restoration priority to these customers following storm outages. In addition, the program does not exempt customers from disconnection of electric service for non-payment.

How to Get Started

To enroll, please download, print and complete the certification form or call our Customer Care Team to request the certification form to be mailed to you. The fax number for submitting completed certification forms is 800-461-9737, or you may send the form to us through:

Mail:
Pepco
Customer Credit Department
701 Ninth Street, N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20068-0001

Email: MedicalForms@pepco.com

Download:
Certification Form for MD Residents
Certification Form for DC Residents

How to Prepare For Emergencies 

• Assemble a “storm kit” and include a battery-operated radio or television, flashlight, a first-aid kit, battery powered or windup clock, extra batteries, an insulated cooler and a list of important and emergency phone numbers.
• Keep at least a 3-day supply of nonperishable foods and bottled water and have a hand-operated can opener available.
• Check your supplies of medications, prescription drugs and any special health need items such as Contact lens supplies or infant supplies.
• Identify a location with emergency power capabilities, and make plans ahead of time to go there or to a health care facility during a prolonged outage. One alternative would be to ask a relative or friend who has power if you can stay with them.

For more tips on how to prepare for emergencies, visit our EMENP page on our website.

Important Phone Numbers

Outages
1-877-PEPCO62 (1-877-737-2662)

Customer Care
202-833-7500

Emergencies
To report downed wires and life-threatening emergencies, call us at 1-877-737-2662 and follow the prompts.

TTY: 202-872-2369
Servicio en Espanol: 202-872-4641

Accelerating Improvements in Resiliency and Reliability for Maryland Customers

There has been some confusion about the grid resiliency charge and why we included it in our Maryland rate case filing. I wanted to use our blog to explain why we think the grid resiliency charge is a good thing for both the company and our customers.

We began working more than two years ago on the biggest reliability effort in our 117-year history, and we are reducing the number and length of outages. We are committed to improving reliability and the customer experience, and that work will continue.

Our proposal for accelerating some of that work stems from a report issued by the Grid Resiliency Task Force. With an increase in frequency and intensity of storms, Governor O’Malley convened this task force in July 2012 to address resiliency and reliability of the Maryland electric distribution system. This task force held eight roundtable discussions featuring community leaders, policy experts and industry stakeholders from across the country. In September, it released a report that recommended accelerating reliability investment and raising reliability standards.

In response to that task force report, we put together a plan that would accelerate improvements in resiliency and reliability for customers. We propose to:

• Underground six distribution feeders (three in Montgomery County and three in Prince George’s County), reducing the frequency and duration of outages for customers
• Accelerate our four-year tree-trimming cycle (approximately 1,000 miles each year) to complete the cycle in three years, which would reduce power outages caused by tree branches falling onto power lines
• Upgrade 12 additional feeders per year for two years
• Raise the reliability performance beyond the level required by Maryland’s Service Quality and Reliability Standards

The Grid Resiliency Task Force also recommended that the Public Service Commission authorize timely recovery for the accelerated investments and expenses. We proposed to do that through a grid resiliency charge. If approved, customers would see a small increase in their bills. Starting in January 2014, a typical residential customer’s bill would increase about $0.96 per month. In 2015 the surcharge would increase from $0.96 to $1.70 per month, and in 2016 it would increase to $1.93 per month. We want to make significant improvements in resiliency and reliability while keeping the additional charge to customers under $2 per month.

Because reliability work would be accelerated, we think it’s fair to raise the reliability standards that we must meet. If we don’t meet the new accelerated reliability standards by 2015, we will refund customers up to $1 million. If we do meet the new reliability standards, we may receive up to a $1 million incentive.

As I noted earlier, the work we have been doing to improve reliability is paying off. From 2011 to 2012, outages on feeders that we worked on decreased by 39 percent and those outages that did occur were 42 percent shorter. We expect to meet the reliability standards that are currently in place without performing the proposed grid resiliency projects. However, by doing the work proposed as part of the grid resiliency charge, customers will experience a more resilient and reliable electric system in a much shorter time period. I welcome you to post questions in the comment section below.

Tom Graham
President, Pepco Region

Continuing to Improve Reliability

Our customers are continuing to see fewer and shorter outages, thanks to the reliability work we’re doing. From 2011 to 2012, outages on feeders that Pepco worked on as part of our Reliability Enhancement Plan decreased by 39 percent and those outages that did occur were 42 percent shorter.

Between September 2010 and January 2013, we:

• Trimmed more than 4,850 miles of trees along power lines in Maryland and about 850 miles in the District of Columbia. We plan to trim another 1,225 miles in Maryland and the District between now and the end of the year.
• Renewed or replaced more than 650 miles of neighborhood underground electric cable in Maryland and 58 miles in the District, with plans to do the same for another 200 miles between now and the end of the year.
• Improved the service of feeder lines that bring power into neighborhoods with the poorest reliability by upgrading more than 115 distribution feeders in Maryland, 66 feeders in the District of Columbia. We plan to complete work on about 100 more this year in the region.

Since we began our reliability work in September 2010, we also have:

• Doubled the number of Customer Care representatives who take calls and more than doubled the number of phone lines.
• Made arrangements to use outside customer service help during major outages.
• Retrained all Customer Care representatives and additional help.

We are upgrading our system to make sure we can provide safe and reliable service for our customers day to day and during storms, and our work continues.

We are prepared for possibility of continued snow, ice and gusty winds

We have mobilized more than 1,600 employees and contractors including field crews, call center representatives and support staff prepared to meet our customers’ needs during this winter storm. Although weather conditions have not been as severe as some forecasts, we are prepared to respond to outages, and customers should expect the possibility of outages through the night.

Our parent company, Pepco Holdings Inc., has received commitments for more than 400 mutual assistance personnel from as far away as Alabama, some of whom started arriving Tuesday to assist with the power restoration effort throughout our Mid-Atlantic service territory.

After a severe storm, we will restore power by targeting wires serving critical infrastructure, such as hospitals, fire stations, and police stations, as well as those serving the greatest number of customers. It is important that customers report their outage and request a call back to verify their power has been restored.

Customers are asked to please call in any outages and stay away from any down wires.​ To report outages and/or downed wires, please call 1-877-737-2662. For more information and updates, follow us on Facebook and Twitter at PepcoConnect, and download our mobile app at www.pepco.com/mobileapp.

We are prepared for the worst of the predictions

We are continuing to monitor the changing weather forecasts and are prepared for the worst of the predictions.

Mutual assistance personnel from Alabama and Georgia began to arrive yesterday and additional personnel are arriving today to assist with restoration efforts. In addition to our internal crews, we have mobilized 400 mutual assistance personnel and they will be assigned as needed across PHI’s three service territories. We have about 450 overhead line contractors and about 300 tree contractors already working on our system who are prepared for storm restoration work. Our Call Centers are staffed and operational 24 hours a day through this event.

The National Weather Service has issued a Winter Storm Warning for the Washington Metropolitan Area through this evening. Weather forecasts predict snow accumulations from 5 to 10 inches through the Pepco region with wind gusts of up to 35 mph. A Winter Storm Warning means there is also a potential for significant sleet and/or ice. We are preparing for the possibility of widespread outages, and we ask our customers to prepare now as well.

Heavy, wet snow, ice, and high winds can bring tree limbs into contact with power lines to cause power outages. Heavy rain and oversaturated soil can allow trees already weakened by previous storms to fall onto power lines and equipment to cause power outages. Outages can also occur due to drivers skidding into utility poles along wet roads.

Customers are asked to please report any outages and stay away from any down wires. To report outages and/or downed wires, please call 1-877-737-2662, follow the prompts, and please ask for a call back to confirm that power has been restored. Call Centers are staffed and operational 24 hours a day through this event. Outages also may be reported on our website or through our mobile app.

For more information and updates, follow us on Facebook and Twitter at PepcoConnect.

Mutual Assistance Crews Arriving Ahead of Storm

We are closely monitoring the changing forecasts and preparing for the worst of the predictions. Mutual assistance crews from Alabama and Georgia have begun to arrive.  We have requested over 300 mutual assistance crews for the storm restoration effort.

We have more than 450 overhead line contractors already working on the system and available, along with over 300 tree contractor crews actively performing reliability enhancement tree trimming work, in addition to preparing for restoration work.

The National Weather Service has issued a Winter Storm Watch for the Washington Metropolitan Area from Tuesday evening to Wednesday evening. Weather forecasts are still changing, but some predict snow accumulations of about a foot through the Pepco region with wind gusts of up to 35 mph. A Winter Storm Watch means there is also a potential for significant sleet and/or ice.

Heavy, wet snow, ice, and high winds can bring tree limbs into contact with power lines to cause power outages. Heavy rain and oversaturated soil can cause trees already weakened by previous storms to fall onto power lines and equipment to cause power outages. Outages can also occur due to drivers skidding into utility poles along wet roads.

Customers are asked to please report any outages and stay away from any down wires. To report outages and/or downed wires, please call 1-877-737-2662, follow the prompts, and please ask for a call back to confirm that power has been restored. Call Centers are staffed and operational 24 hours a day through this event. Outages also may be reported through our website or through our mobile app.

For more information and updates, follow us on Facebook and Twitter and download our mobile app.

We Are Closely Monitoring an Approaching Winter Storm

We are closely monitoring an approaching winter storm. The National Weather Service has issued a Winter Storm Watch for the Washington Metropolitan Area from Tuesday evening to Wednesday evening. Weather forecasts are still changing, but some predict snow accumulations of more than a foot of snow through the Pepco region with up to 17 inches predicted in some locations in Montgomery County. We also expect wind gusts of up to 35 mph. A Winter Storm Watch means there is also a potential for significant sleet and/or ice. We are preparing for the worst of the forecasts.

Heavy, wet snow; ice; and high winds can bring tree limbs into contact with power lines to cause power outages. Heavy rain and oversaturated soil can allow trees already weakened by previous storms to fall onto power lines and equipment to cause power outages. Outages can also occur due to drivers skidding into utility poles along wet roads.

We will have extra line and tree crews available, and the Call Center will be staffed overnight. In addition to internal crews, we have more than 450 overhead line contractors already working on the system available if needed. Pepco Holdings Inc. (PHI), parent company for Pepco, is also asking for more contractor support and has asked for 250 mutual assistance crews from other utilities. We also have almost 300 tree contractors already working on our system.

Customers are asked to please call in any outages and stay away from any down wires. To report outages and/or downed wires, please call 1-877-737-2662, follow the prompts, and please ask for a call back to confirm that power has been restored. Outages also may be reported on our website or through our mobile app.

We Can Help with High Winter Bills

With winter weather here, some customers may be experiencing high energy bills. That’s because colder temperatures cause heating systems to work harder and use more energy.

For those customers who have a heat pump, that unit’s resistance heater switches on when temperatures dip below about 32 degrees. When that happens, efficiency declines and costs increase.

At Pepco, we understand that high winter bills can be a concern. If you’re having difficulty making a payment, call us at 202-833-7500 before your bill gets unmanageable.

We can discuss alternative payment plans such as our Budget Billing program that allows you to make a fixed monthly payment and avoid cost spikes. We also can direct you to government assistance programs that offer help to eligible customers based on income guidelines.

And don’t forget to visit pepco.com to sign up for My Account, our online tool that can offer ways to manage energy use.

Felecia Greer
Customer Advocate